Luke Walton to take over Lakers after Warriors’ season ends

The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed with Luke Walton to be their new head coach, with the sides agreeing to a multiyear deal Friday, the team said.

“We’re excited to bring Luke back to Los Angeles, where we feel he’s going to start an outstanding coaching career,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a release. “He’s one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game and we feel fortunate that he’ll be leading the on-court future of our team.”

Walton had been serving as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors, who granted him permission to interview with the Lakers after their first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Houston Rockets concluded Wednesday.

A source told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that Walton was the Lakers’ first choice and the only candidate they interviewed. They had other meetings lined up but canceled them after Thursday’s interview with Walton in Oakland, California.

The 36-year-old had become a hot coaching commodity after ‎posting a 39-4 record — including a record 24-0 start — as the Warriors’ interim coach this season while Steve Kerr was recovering